Sunday, February 26, 2017

This year's Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award nominations were
announced today, and I'm very pleased to report that VIDEO WATCHDOG - in
its last turn at the prize - was nominated in the following categories:

Best Magazine

Best
Cover - Mark Maddox's CARMILLA, VIDEO WATCHDOG #183 (pictured)

Best Columnist - Larry Blamire's
"Star Turn"

Best Article - "BALDPATE: The Long Road to the HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS" by Kim Newman, VIDEO WATCHDOG #181

Best Article - "NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE: Variations and Version Blood" by Tim Lucas, VIDEO WATCHDOG #182

And the good news in the Best Article category is, you can vote for two!

In addition to my Best Article nomination, I received 4 additional
nominations myself:

and - last but certainly not least - a nomination that doesn't actually bear my or
anyone's name:

Photos: Entertainment Weekly/Mitchell Haddad

Best Live Event - Cinefamily/SpectreVision's live table reading of THE MAN WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES - an original script by Tim Lucas & Charlie Largent, with Michael Almereyda and James Robison - last October 12 at L.A.'s Vista Theater, hosted and narrated by Joe
Dante and featuring a cast including Bill Hader, Jason Ritter and special guest Roger Corman, who left his handprints in cement outside the theater!

I would personally love to see Donna Lucas' 27 years of publishing VIDEO WATCHDOG honored with a Monster Kid of the Year Award, too. This year is VW's last grab for Rondo's golden ring and it would be wonderful to see her mammoth contribution to horror and fantasy publishing recognized with a tribute that is all hers.

Donna and I are so very pleased and proud of these nominations, and for the high
quality of the overall ballot itself. The state of film and film-related
publishing may be ailing, magazines may be dropping like flies, but you would never know it from the robust health of the high
quality work being done in these areas.

I hope you'll all FOLLOW THIS LINK, look over the large cast of worthy nominees, and cast your email votes for your favorites!

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

One of my greatest regrets about
not being able to print the last issue of VIDEO WATCHDOG (184), which remains in-progress, is that it contained the concluding half of John-Paul Checkett's two-part essay on CARMILLA in the cinema. After John-Paul turned in his article, already quite lengthy, I happened to see Bret Wood's
latest film THE UNWANTED on Netflix - and I immediately wrote to JP (as
I call him) to tell him his article wasn't finished; there was
something he needed to add, because Bret's film had turned out to be a
contemporary treatment of J. Sheridan Le Fanu's classic 19th century
novella. And when I read the extra pages JP turned in, I was gratified
to read his assessment because THE UNWANTED became the capstone of the
entire assignment.

In the eloquent words of Mr Checkett:

"It is a
shame that Wood’s film has not been embraced by a larger audience,
especially given that it is, without exaggeration, the best-acted
adaptation of the novella ever committed to film. Although the three
principal leads are all outstanding, Hannah Fierman’s performance as
Laura merits special consideration, and should have served as the
springboard for a bigger career. The film is entirely unique as the sole
adaptation to present Carmilla in an unambiguously positive light, and
the only one that is (quite arguably) completely devoid of supernatural
content. Although the film depicts both bloodletting and blood drinking,
neither are necessarily indicative of supernatural vampirism,
reflecting instead the sexual dynamics explored in Theodore Sturgeon’s
SOME OF YOUR BLOOD. Perhaps even more remarkably, the two female leads
never acquiesce to the demands of male fantasy, and their love story is
as beautiful as it is tragic."

Simply put, Bret Wood
(PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS, THE LITTLE DEATH) is one of the most important
independent filmmakers specializing in dark subjects working today. He's
trying to complete his current work-in-progress, THOSE WHO DESERVE TO
DIE and is trying to raise essential completion funds at Kickstarter. If
you've read this far, please read the following promotional text, visit
the links, and consider making a contribution to what has every hope of
becoming another outstanding film.

* * *

The director
of the 2014 alterna-vampire film THE UNWANTED is midway through
production of a new feature, a brutal revenge film entitled THOSE WHO
DESERVE TO DIE.

Joe Sykes (V/H/S) stars as a veteran who returns to his hometown and, guided by the malevolent spirit of his dead sister
(newcomer Alice Lewis) carries out a cruel vengeance upon those who
destroyed his family. Flavored with a dark and distinctive visual style
reminiscent of 1960s gialli, THOSE WHO DESERVE TO DIE continues the
exploration of violence and perverse eroticism for which Wood has become
known. The film is being produced by Adam K. Thompson, with special
makeup effects by Shane Morton (TV’s YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL
and the biker shocker DEAR GOD NO!).

Teaser Trailer A:https://vimeo.com/202700320
The Atlanta-based crew expects to complete production in late Spring
2017, and is in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds
to complete principal photography (ends February 25). While visiting
their campaign page, be sure to explore the behind-the-scenes videos,
photos, and giveaway items.Kickstarter Link:

One of the most fascinating stories within the production is that of 12-year-old horror-obsessed actress Alice Lewis, who has used
photography and cosplay to redefine herself after being adopted at age
seven. To celebrate Alice’s inspirational story, the filmmakers crafted
this brief profile piece:https://vimeo.com/202248001

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